Xu Yuying came out of her boudoir with a flute box in her hand, raised her head and hearing the sound of the guqin, she frowned, “That lunatic again?”

“Yes.” The little servant girl followed her, “often at this time, he would sit in the courtyard and play the guqin.”

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“Lunatic.” Xu Yuying stroked the flute box in her hand, “It’s a pity, he has such good looks.”

Gu Yun was looking for the source of the music and slowly following the sound. The sound of the guqin was high and low, and it was played rather discordantly, but it still moved his heart.

As he walked, the surrounding scenery gradually became desolate and dilapidated, and the words “Hongqin House” suddenly appeared in front of him. Under the plaque was a crumbling red lacquer courtyard door, the vermilion paint mottled and dirty.

And the sound of the guqin was only separated by a wall.

Gu Yun didn’t rush to push open the doors, but stood quietly for a while. After the guqin music subsided, he stepped forward and knocked twice.

“Gu Yun of the Gu family in the southwest, I heard the sound of the guqin, and I would like to meet your excellency.”

There was only silence behind the door.

Gu Yun waited and said in a louder voice, “Then I will push the door and come in?”

Still silent.

Gu Yun pressed his palm against the door knocker, paused slightly, and then pushed it open.

The first thing that caught his eye was a blooming parasol tree, and even in the dark night, it still shone like a crown.

A person sat quietly under a flower branch, his hair was not tied, his clothes were like rags, and his long bangs blocked his profile. Looking from Gu Yun’s position, one would be shocked at his thin stature and bony wrists.

Gu Yun’s Adam’s apple moved: “You....”

The man slowly stood up holding the guqin, turned his back to Gu Yun, and walked into the house step by step. He was so thin that he was practically all bones, and the clothes hung large and baggy on his skeleton-like figure, as if he was about to fly away with the wind.

“Wait!” Gu Yun took two steps forward, “Qi Lan?”

The man’s steps paused.

Gu Yun said firmly: “You are Qi Lan, I recognize you.”

The man looked back at him with a look of panic, and Gu Yun was taken aback.

His cheeks were sunken, his pupils were dull and his lips were chapped white. He didn’t look at all like the young master of the Qi family, who used to be beautifully handsome and possessed great literary talent. But his natural beauty was still there, long eyelashes lowered and eyes gentle.

Even with rough clothes and messy hair, it did not hide his beauty. No wonder it made Xu Huang disregard his reputation and insisted on snatching him into the manor.

“You....” Gu Yun was about to take a step forward, but the man had already hurried into the room holding the guqin tight to his chest, and the door was closed with a creak.

“Gu Gongzi.”

Gu Yun turned his head and saw Xu Yuying standing there with a forced smile: “Why did you come here, gongzi?”

Gu Yun turned his face slightly: “I was attracted by the sound of the guqin.”

Xu Yuying came over with the flute box and said, “It’s not advisable to stay here for a long time. Gongzi, please go back to your original place. When this person goes crazy, he will hit anyone he sees.”

She said so with a hint of concern, but Gu Yun was not appeasex at all, and with a flap of his sleeves, he cupped his hands and said, “It’s already quite late, and I won’t bother you any more. I will take my leave from the manor and go back to the inn. Young lady, please go back to your room and rest.”

Xu Yuying’s expression shifted: “But....”

“I will be retreating now.” Gu Yun nodded lightly, turned around and left. If he was in a good mood, it didn’t matter to be polite. If he was unhappy, then the Gu family did not have to give anyone face.

Just as he walked outside the high walls, he couldn’t help but look up to take a look, but only saw a flower growing on the tree that was as bright as snow.

On Jing Ye’s side.

In the middle of the night, the three of them slept in a clearing in the woods, only the bright bonfire kept crackling.

Jing Ye was sleeping fitfully when suddenly he felt someone touching his wrist. He woke up in a haze, and in front of him was Yuan Mo, who had followed him on the night of the Thousand Autumn Festival.

Jing Ye: “!”

Yuan Mo raised his hand to signal for silence, and gestured him to lower his head to look at the wrist guards on his wrists then tapped at the area near the back of his hand.

Jing Ye: “....” What?

These movements only took a few seconds, and then he heard a very fast sound of something breaking through the air, and it was Jin Jue who swung over the whip in his hand.

Yuan Mo dodged to the side with Jing Ye and drew his sword to meet the whip that brought with it a strong wind. However, Jing Ye felt his vision darken, and Yu Heng also joined in.

Thinking of Yuan Mo’s movement just now of lightly tapping the wrist guard, Jing Ye subconsciously raised his wrist to block the other’s grabbing fingers. He felt his wrist being grasped, tightened, and then released suddenly.

The man staggered back a few steps, expressionless.

Jin Jue was taken aback by this situation, his movements also slowed down a bit, and lost his momentum. He immediately knelt back on one knee and blocked Yuan Mo’s sword with his whip.

This whip was actually made of finely melted iron, and when metal met metal, small sparks flew in their wake.

Yuan Mo leaned against his sword and watched him as he spoke slowly.

“What was given a few days ago, is now returned to its original owner.”

Jin Jue raised his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth twitched into a smile. He used his hand to block Yuan Mo’s blade. The latter took a few steps back but still stabbed forward with his sword.

The two fought in the open space, the light reflecting off the sword flickered, and the shadows of the whip danced.

Jing Ye saw that Jin Jue couldn’t get to him, and Yu Heng was also unable to stop him either, so he ran under the tree and untied Obsidian’s reins, getting on his horse.

Yuan Mo stepped back and shouted, “Go south!”

Southward. Jing Ye looked at the surrounding woods, it was pitch black, where the hell was south....

His Majesty the wise and decisive Emperor only hesitated for a second, then resolutely pulled the reins, and with a lift of Obsidian’s hoofs, he ran towards the due north.

Yuan Mo: “....”

“Getting distracted?” Jin Jue was already approaching again in a single breath, “Last time I used the poison needle, this time....let me experience the so-called Yuan Family Sword.”

Yuan Mo’s thin lips pursed, and greeted him with his sword.

Jing Ye first steered with the reins for a while, then let go of the reins and let Obsidian run wild in the woods.

The night was dark like ink, and he didn’t know how long they ran, but his field of vision gradually became brighter. They had already arrived outside the forest.

Jing Ye tugged on the reins, and Obsidian slowed down obediently.

He couldn’t help rubbing his face.

Now....where was this?

Jing Ye looked around, but he couldn’t see any road. It was probably an untouched field.

He glanced back and suddenly saw a clump of firewood burning in a clearing in the distance.

A traveler passing by?

Jing Ye hesitated for a moment, and then slowly rode forward. Anyway, he didn’t know where he had run to or how far it was from Yuan Mo, so he’d better find someone to ask. If the other had bad intentions, no big deal, he would just sit on the horse and could run away at any time.

The horse hoofs kicked and stepped to the front of the cluster of firewood, where a man lay on his back beside the fire, as if he had fallen asleep.

Jing Ye said, “This brother?”

The man slowly opened his eyes.

“I was staying in the forest near here.” Jing Ye pointed to the not-so-distant distance, “When I woke up, I accidentally lost my way. I hope this brother can point me in the right direction....”

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The man in his forties with a slender figure slowly sat up when he heard the words.

“....” Jing Ye suddenly felt a sense of crisis, pulling his horse back two steps.

The man looked at him and smiled: “Jing Ye?”